Ranji Trophy | Sakariya and Dodiya hand Saurashtra precious first-innings lead

When Chetan Sakariya went down connected 1 genu and launched leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal implicit heavy mid-wicket for a six, it was the defining stroke successful an edge-of-the-seat thriller. With that maximum, Saurashtra secured a important four-run first-innings pb implicit Karnataka connected the penultimate time of its Group-B Ranji Trophy brushwood astatine the Niranjan Shah Stadium present connected Friday.

Moments later, Sakariya was trapped successful beforehand — becoming Shreyas’ eighth unfortunate — but not earlier receiving a hero’s invited from his teammates, demonstrating the value of his knock.

That the final-wicket concern produced 34 captious runs was lone portion of the story; what genuinely stood retired was the resilience shown by Sakariya and Yuvrajsinh Dodiya. The duo batted done 14.3 tense overs, absorbing unit and holding its nervus erstwhile it mattered most.

Karnataka’s bowlers threw everything astatine them, but the 2 stood resolute. Every azygous they stole, each artifact they offered, was met with raucous cheers from the dressing country arsenic they stood steadfast astatine the crease — helping their broadside scope 376 successful the archetypal essay.

Earlier, overnight batters Arpit Vasavada and Prerak Mankad resumed with caution, steadily narrowing the deficit. However, Shreyas provided the breakthrough, trapping Mankad successful beforehand to extremity the 66-run fifth-wicket stand. Sammar Gajjar past joined Vasavada, and the brace kept the scoreboard moving with crisp singles and affirmative intent. But Shreyas struck again, dismissing Vasavada and breaking the 54-run sixth-wicket alliance.

Just earlier lunch, Dharmendra Jadeja talented his wicket to Shreyas, and soon aft the interval, left-arm spinner Shikhar Shetty removed Jaydev Unadkat, leaving Saurashtra reeling astatine 318 for 8 — inactive trailing by 54.

Shreyas returned to wrapper up the innings, removing some Gajjar and Sakariya — but not earlier the latter’s gritty manus had steered Saurashtra to the precious first-innings lead. The five-run penalty, which Karnataka conceded connected the 2nd day, besides proved captious successful the location broadside going past the visitor’s tally.

Karnataka ended the time astatine 89 for 1 successful its 2nd essay, stretching the pb to 85, mounting up what promises to beryllium an breathtaking last day’s play.

The scores: Karnataka — 1st innings: 372.

Saurashtra — 1st innings: Harvik Desai lbw b Mohsin 41, Chirag Jani b Shreyas 90, Jay Gohel (sub) c & b Shreyas 3, Arpit Vasavada lbw b Shreyas 58, Ansh Gosai c Smaran b Shreyas 19, Prerak Mankad lbw b Shreyas 27, Sammar Gajjar st Shrijith b Shreyas 45, Dharmendra Jadeja c Venkatesh b Shreyas 10, Jaydev Unadkat b Shikhar 6, Chetan Sakariya lbw b Shreyas 29, Yuvrajsinh Dodiya (not out) 13; Extras: (nb-1, b-13, lb-16, pen-5): 35; Total (in 121.3 overs): 376.

Fall of wickets: 1-140, 2-148, 3-151, 4-171, 5-237, 6-291, 7-311, 8-318, 9-342.

Karnataka bowling: Abhilash 12-4-24-0, Venkatesh 12-3-34-0, Shikhar 24-3-84-1, Shreyas 39.3-7-110-8, Mohsin 34-1-90-1.

Karnataka — 2nd innings: S.J. Nikin Jose lbw b Sammar 34, Mayank Agarwal (batting) 31, Devdutt Padikkal (batting) 18; Extras: (b-4, lb-2): 6; Total (for 1 wkt. successful 28 overs): 89.

Fall of wicket: 1-52.

Saurashtra bowling: Jadeja 10-4-15-0, Unadkat 5-0-16-0, Dodiya 6-0-26-0, Sakariya 3-0-8-0, Sammar 4-0-18-1.